The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) has been reintroduced to Congress. If passed to the law, the bill could impose some of the most significant legislative changes the Internet has seen in the United States since the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) of 1998.
As is the case now, Kosa can hold social media platforms legally accountable if these companies prove to be not doing enough to protect minors from harm. The bill includes a long list of possible harms such as eating disorders, sexual exploitation, substance abuse, and suicide. It passed the Senate overwhelmingly last year, but the bill has suffocated in the House.
Since its introduction in 2022, Kosa has faced a lot of backlash.
Human rights groups like the ACLU have raised concerns that the bill could be weaponized as a tool for censorship and surveillance. The Kosa amendment eased some of these concerns, but groups like the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Future Fight remain in the bill.
“The authors of the bill have repeatedly argued that this bill will not affect speeches. But the duty of care is to talk about speeches. It is to block speeches that the government believes are bad for children.” “And people who judge what speeches are harmful? They use all their tools to silence marginalized communities and attack those they perceive as enemies.”
However, Kosa is gaining support from companies such as Microsoft, Snap and X. X CEO Linda Jaccarino worked with Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) in the latest draft of the bill. While Google and Meta continue to oppose the bill, Apple announced today that it will support the law.
“Apple is pleased to provide our support for the Children’s Online Safety Act (KOSA). Everyone plays a role in keeping their children safe online, and we believe that (this) law will have a meaningful impact on children’s online safety.”